NFL Player Protests Against the National Anthem, the U.S. Flag, and This Great Country: Boycott the NFL!

Few things surprise me anymore, but some of these things really irritate me – one of these things is the NFL players taking a knee during the National Anthem. There is NO good reason for this whatsoever, regardless of what the reasoning is behind these ill-timed protests – period.

It was bad enough when Colin Kaepernick sat on the bench during the National Anthem – explaining that he was not going to “show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.” Oh please, give me a break. The U.S. as a nation does not oppress black people and people of color! There are however people IN the U.S. who do oppress and mistreat black people and other people of color. That in no way makes the entirety of this country a bunch of racist and oppressive jerks hell-bent on making life hard for all those who are black or other colored people.

Colin Kaepernick’s behavior at times has been reprehensible, but he gets a pass because the Liberal Left likes him.

Now we have many members of NFL teams taking a knee during the Anthem, this is absolutely disgraceful!

The Dallas Cowboys en masse took a knee along with the owner of the Cowboys Jerry Jones – before the Anthem. I’m sorry Jerry, but that is still NOT acceptable behavior!

The Pittsburgh Steelers decided to wimp out and hide while the National Anthem was being played. Well in this writers opinion, they may as well have been on the field front and center disrespecting the Anthem and the American flag – because through their actions, that is exactly what they did. Only one player (Alejandro Villanueva) for the Steelers did the right thing and honored our country’s flag! After having done the right thing, Villanueva actually apologized for having made his teammates and the coach look bad, really? The team should have been out there with him!

Lets say the president makes a speech before Congress, and all the members of Congress are upset with the president, so they stand outside the chambers in the hallways during the president’s speech. Would this not still be disrespectful? YES it would be! So too are the supposed non-actions of the Pittsburgh Steelers and the actions of the Dallas Cowboys.

Aaron Rodgers of the Green Bay Packers has asked fans to lock arms along with the Green Bay team on Thursday night’s game to show unity. Really? Now an NFL player is attempting to draw the fans into this disrespectful and disgraceful behavior? This is, in this writer’s opinion – merely another way to get around kneeling during the National Anthem and it IS disrespectful to our flag and country. I expected better of Aaron Rogers, but I guess I was wrong.

Apparently, the NFL and its players are not getting the message. Americans in large part do not like this disgusting behavior by NFL players, and now team owners and coaches as well. NFL ratings are down, and there are widespread reports on fans even BURNING NFL merchandise because of these actions by the players. President Trump received some backlash for his comments that NFL players should all stand and be respectful for the National Anthem. Guess what? 64% of Americans agree with President Trump – 64%!!

I have no tolerance for this poor behavior on the part of the NFL players, owners, and staff. Apparently, neither do some NASCAR owners who said drivers that disrespected the National Anthem, our flag and country, would be fired – just as President Trump spoke of. By the way, this post on NASCAR owners thoughts about the disgraceful NFL actions and their views on this – currently has almost 95,000 shares.

My and many others opposition to these NFL protests, regardless of the players reasoning for doing so, has nothing to do with supposedly wanting to deny the players (or anyone else) the right to protest whatever – as is being implied by those on the Liberal Looney Left. Everyone has the right to protest whatever injustice they see fit, but protests have a proper time, and place, and venue.

Regardless of the particular NFL players reason or intent for protesting, regardless of the players and the Liberal Lefts arguments that these protests are not aimed at disrespecting the American flag, the National Anthem and this great country – showing public disrespect towards the symbols of this great nation is EXACTLY what these people are doing.

When the National Anthem is played, we are to be standing with hand over heart, anything less is disrespecting our flag and the country for which it stands. Further, these people are spitting in the faces of those who have fought and yes died to protect and defend this country. There is a time and place to protest, that time is not during the National Anthem – EVER. This behavior by NFL players needs to stop, right now. This writer would even go so far as to suggest a boycott of the NFL until the NFL puts a stop to this disgusting and reprehensible behavior by its players, owners and staff.

If you cannot respect this country, it’s flag and anthem, not to mention those who fought and died to give you the right to protest – then get out and don’t come back – you don’t deserve to live in the greatest nation on Earth.

About the author

Greg Holt

Since 2014 The Olive Branch Report, the definitive Christian Magazine for today has featured the insightful writing and reporting of Christian blogger Greg Holt. His writing has been featured on American Prophet, American Clarion, Eagle Rising, Not Ashamed of the Gospel, and others. Greg is also the Editor of Inspirational Christian Blogs. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. There is no other.

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